Fluid applicator



I T. G. ETEM FLUID APPLICATOR Filed April 18, 1945 Dec. 9, 1947.

Fill.

E. E1 ETEM 1f Q AGENT INVENTOR 'TrggnnnR X M Patented Dec. 9, 1947 FLUID APPLICATOR Theodore G. Etem, Hickman Mills, Mo., assignor to Remington Arms Company, Inc., Bridgeport, Conn, a corporation of Delaware Application April 18, 1945, Serial No. 588,923

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a fluid applicator, particularly for applying a coating of water proofing varnish within the mouth of a cartridge case. An object is to provide a fluid applicator by means of which the water proofing varnish may be applied to the cartridge case mouth as a uniform ring of any desired depth, and without compression of air in the casing during insertion of the applicator or expansion of air during its removal.

Heretofore water proofing varnish has been applied by means of a plunger type applicator, which after dipping in the varnish is raised upward so as to enter into the cartridge case mouth. This operation takes place after the primer has been inserted in the cartridge case head rendering itair tight. Consequently, upon insertion of the applicator to any appreciable depth, the close fit between the applicator and the cartridge case mouth causes the air trapped within the case to be compressed to such an extent that it blows between the applicator and the mouth under considerable force. In the case of caliber .30 cartridges, a uniform water proofing ring should be applied to a depth of T36" to /4", but this has not been possible with the plunger type applicator as previously used, because insertion of this applicator to a depth in excess of /8" compressed the air inside the case to such an extent as to cause it to by-pass the applicator, resulting in an irregular water proofing ring and dirty cases. The suction created within the case, through expansion of the air upon withdrawal of the applicator has also had the undesirable effect of causing the water proofing varnish to be drawn upwardly and in some cases to reach the anvil of the primer in the cartridge case head.

It is an object of the invention to provide a fluid applicator having air vent means permitting free passage of air between the interior of the cartridge case and the exterior of the applicator, thus enabling the applicator to be inserted to any desired extent without compressing the air within the cartridge case, and resulting in the application of a uniform water proofing ring to the depth required by process specifications.

Another object is to provide a fluid applicator having shielding skirt means in relation to the outlet ports of the air vent means adapted to prevent plugging of the outlet ports, as well as splashing of the water prOOfing varnish upon the machine and the cases being processed therein adjacent to the one being water proofed,

The applicator of the invention is especially intended for use in an automatic machine for acting on cartridge cases, as for example a machine of the type disclosed in U. S. patent to J. E. Turnock et al., No. 2,325,642, granted August 3, 1943.

With the above and other objects in view, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, and this embodiment will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a fluid applicator, according to the illustrated exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the machine in which the applicator is incorporated, and showing the applicator engaged in the mouth of a cartridge case being processed through the machine.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the fluid applicator, according to the illustrated exemplary emboditaken along ment of the invention, comprises a plunger type 1 member IE1 provided at its upper entering end with a conical point II, at the base of which is provided a cylindrical surface l2 having an annular V-shaped groove l3 intermediate its upper and lower ends, the diameter of the cylindrical surface l2 below the groove l3 being slightly less than the diameter of the cylindrical surface above the groove to facilitate the engagement and disengagement of the applicator with the mouth of the cartridge case, as will presently more fully appear. Below the cylindrical surface [2 there is provided a reduced diameter cylindrical neck portion 14, at the base of which there is provided a downwardly and outwardly flared annular skirt l5, and below this skirt there is provided a shank portion l 6 of greater diameter than the neck portion id but of substantially smaller diameter than the skirt IS. A cylindrical hole is provided axiallyupwardly through the applicator from its base and terminates within the conical point portion H, a series of downwardly and inwardly inclined radial ports l8 extending from the conical surface II to the upper end of the hole ll. At a point directly beneath the under surface of the skirt I 5 there are provided a series of downwardly and outwardly inclined radial ports I9 extending outwardly from the hole I1 and having their axes substantially parallel to the conical under surface 20 of the skirt.

The lower end of the hole I! within the shank portion I6 is provided with screw threads 2I and has screwed therein the upper end of a pin 22, and which constitutes a base within the hole I! substantially level with the lower sides of the ports I9, so that an air passage is provided through the applicator between the ports I8 in the point I I and the ports I9 beneath the skirt [5.

The applicator is adapted to be incorporated in a machine for acting on cartridge cases for instance of the type as shown inthezpatent to Turnock et al., No. 2,325,642, above referred. to, and wherein step by step movement. is imparted to a series of inverted cartridge cases along guideways 23 and 24 by a transfer bar 25 having a-plurality of sets of vertically spaced and aligned recesses 26. and-21, each set adapted to substantially embrace a cartridge case. The transfer bar has a quadrangular motion, advancing from initial retracted position transversely to a cartridge engaging position, then feeding one step longitudinally, retracting transversely away from the cartridge, and finall returning longitudinally to its initialposition. The cartridge cases are thus moved from station to station of the machine with their lower ends resting on a bar 28, this bar at the varnishing station having a gap therein which exposes the mouth end of the case for engagement therein of the fluid applicator.v Atthe varnishing station there is provided below the gap in the bar 28 a tank 29 containing the water proofing varnish 30, the applicator beingadapted to have vertical reciprocatory movement in synchronized movement with the transfer bar 25 to move downwardly into the varnish, as shown .by the dot-and-dash lines, for the purpose of being coated, and to move upwardly into engagement with the cartridge case mouth. For this purpose the lower end of the pin 22 is provided .with screw threads SI and is screwed into the upper end of a vertically reciprocating rod 32, suitably actuated by mechanism of the machine outside of the tank 29.

In operation, the. applicator in its lower position, as shown bythe dot-anddash lines, is coatedwith the water proofing varnish and in particular a supply of varnish is deposited in the annulargroove I3. On upward movement of. the applicator the cylindrical surface I2 enters the cylindrical mouth of the cartridge. case A causing the varnish carried thereby to be uniformly applied to the interior of the mouth. -At the varnishing station the primer B has already been inserted in the cartridge case head in a previous station of. the machine, so that the vent. hole in the head is sealed thereby. As. the applicator enters the mouth of the cartridge case, the displaced air flows through the ports I Rand the hole ll to the outlet ports I9 where it escapes beneath the skirt I5, so that there isnocompressiomoi the air within the cartridge case, and consequentlyv the closely. fitting applicator may freely enter the mouth of the cartridge case to any desired depth, and without any flow of air between its varnish applying surface and the mouth sur- ..sion...oi air within the cartridge case through downward withdrawal of the applicator, there is no tendency upon disengagement of the applicartor forthe varnish to be sucked upwardly into the case; and hence the varnish is prevented from reaching the anvil of the primer through the vent hole C."

. 'Theform of the invention illustrated in the drawing and described'herein is typical and illustrative only, and it is evident that the invention; is capable of embodiments in other forms, all falling within the scope of the appended claims, which are to be broadly construed.

What. is claimed is:

. 1.1 An applicator for spreading a film ofa fluid material on an interior surface of an imperforate cup-shaped article, said applicator comprising a conical end portion and a peripheral fluid spreading surface having an annular fluid retaining recess-and making, with the fluid thereon, a substantially air tight contact with said interior surface of said article as, the applicator is inserted therein, said. applicator having. a vent affording agaippassage from the interior or said article through the body of said applicator.

2. An applicator for spreading a film of a fluid material on an interior surface of an imperforate cup-shaped article, said applicator comprising a hollow body open at one end and having a conical. nose portion at. its opposite end, a peripheral fiuidspreading surface below said conical nose making, with the fluid on said spreading surface,

a substantially air tight contact with said interiorsurface of said article. as the applicator is inserted therein; a conical flared skirt below said fluid spreading surface, said applicator havin .a plurality of ports in said conical end portion openinginto said hollow bodyv and a plurality of ports beneath saidflared skirt opening into. said hollow body, saidlports. and said hollow body affording anair passa e from the interior of said article through. said hollow body and applicator operating meansfor inserting said applicator into said article. comprising a reciprocable element secured in theopen endcf said hollow body and affording an end closure therefor.

THEODORE G. ETEM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file. of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,229, 31 Barker et'al Jan. 28,- 1941 2,317,330 Lockwood =Apr. 20, 1943 2,345,227 White et a1 Mar. 28,1944 2,376,069 -Martin May 15, 1945 

